Faythe and take holde of Chryste No sayeth Christe hymselfe Hoc est opus Dei vt credatis in eum This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in hym whome hee hathe sente It is not your worke Donum Dei est It is Gods gift Then man hath nothyng at all in hym selfe not so mutche as to put out his hande and receyue this gifte excepte GOD geue hym this gyfte also to receaue it except God geue him this hand to put out howe can he put out that he hath not it muste needes bee then that those that receyue this gift the sonne of GOD are euen the elect of god Crediderunt quotquot praeoidinati fuerunt ad vitam aeternam Euen so many beleued as were ordeyned to eternall lyfe And further then thys we will not we dare not we can not wade howe soeuer the diuell the worlde the fleshe the Papists doo startle hereat but moste humbly lette vs prayse and magnifie God for this and saye with Christe Confiteor tibi pater c. I giue thee thankes O Father Lorde of Heauen and earth bicause thou haste hidden these thyngs from the wyse and prudent and haste opened them vnto babes it is so father bycause thy good pleasure was such It is not so bicause it was oure pleasure oure will oure merite our worke our preparatiue or any thyng in vs But GOD hath only of his mere mercyful loue begunne it wrought it and performed it in his choyse vessels of mercie thorough his onely begotten sonne oure Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe Thus haue I derely beloued in the lord a great deale to long I graunt deteined your pacience but the matter for me I hope wil pleade my pardon A matter of no lesse momente in it selfe than conteyning the weyghtiest poynts of our religion the chiefest controuersies of oure contention and all the causes of our saluation Neither myghte wee passe through these matters hauing to deale with suche crafty and warbling aduersaries so soone as the ordinarie time in this place dothe require but I haue presumed in this extraordinarie Sermon or rather was driuen thereto to driue out the time extraordinarily for the aduersaries to step their mouths and if it please God to win their harts also at least for our selues to confirme strengthen ours against all theyr cauillations Which effect that it may worke in them and vs let vs neuer forget this most worthie sentence So god loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that all that beleue in him shold not perishe but haue eternall life Let vs remember all the foure parts into the which I deuided this sentence In the firste let vs seriously set before vs these two endes Euerlasting death and Euerlasting life Secondly these two parties God and the world chiefly considering the eternall purpose and election of God the first cause and originall of our saluation In the second parte let vs consider what moued God to elect vs to life euerlasting nothing in the world but all in him selfe euen only his owne mere loue Wherin remember withall howe greatly they haue abused you or rather abused God by little and litle in taking all from God and let vs render all to him from whose loue all procedes to vs In the third parte consider by what meanes god hath wrought it euen by Iesus Christ His only begotten sonne What a passing loue thys was surmounting all kindes of loue what an excellente gifte it was and how the Papists trode it vnder foote and let vs beware least we misuse this gifte by securitie of life as they by false doctrine dyâ—… deface it Laste of all let vs receaue thys gifte by faith the only meanes we take it by and take hede of them for in euery thing they haue shewed them selues to God and man vnfaithfull neither know they what faith meanes and therefore are they suche enemies of this doctrine that only a stedfast faithe apprehending The sonne of God doth make vs acceptable vnto the father But let vs leauing them to Gods iudgemeÌ„ts to come vpon them admit and beleue this his eternall truth and prayse God for these his vnspeakable mercies poured on vs in Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the father and the holy ghost three persons and one most perfecte and euerliuing Godhed be all prayse and glory now and for euer Amen FINIS 1. Cor â–ª 2. Luc. 14. Philip. 3. Prou. 2. Rom. 6. Ludouiâ—… Viues Eccl 7. 3. Reg. 2. Osee. 13. Rom. 6. Math. 16. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 9. Matth. 20 Matth. 2â—… Mark 9. Luc. 16. Matth. 15. Iohn 14. Iohn 10. Ierem. 7. 2. Pet. â—… Matt. 22. Mat. 22. Luc. 12. 1. Peter 4. Hebr. 10. Apoc. 3. Matth. 24 Matth. 25. Matth. 10. 1 Iohn 5. â—… Ion. 2. 1. Iohn 2. Iohn 1 Mare 16. Legenda in vita S. Francis. Iohn 17. 1. Iohn 2. Matth. 7. Iohn 6. Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Iohn 13. Iohn 5. 1 Cor. 6. Gen. 3. Gala. 6. Iohn 12 Iohn 17. Rom. 10 Marc. 16. Rom. 10. Gala. 3. Rom. 4. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 2. Lbi. 1. Dâ—… doct christiana 1. Tim. 2. Rom 9. Prouer. 15. Rom 9. Rom. 9. Matth. 26. Ephes. 1. Rom. 8. Aug li. 50. Homiliâ—…r Homili 17. Act. 9. Psalm 117 Phil. â—… Iohn 6. Iohn 17. Ephes. â—… Rom. 9. Ezech. 33. 1. Tim. 2. Matth. 23. Psalm 17. Exod. 6. Malach. 3. Rom. 〈◊〉 Hebr. 13. Exod. 3. 2 Cor. â—… Lâ—…c â—… Rom. 8. Psalm 13. 1. Tim. â—… Matth. 6. Matth. 5. â—… Tim. 3. Ierem 2. Iohn 4. Gen 3. Rom. 13. Esa 48 Prouer. 25 1 Pet 4. 1 Cor. 13. â—… Cor. 11. Matth. 22. Matth. 10. Iohn 8. 2. Cor. 6. Iohn 8. Matth. 4. 1. Iohn 2. Matth. 4. Luc. â—…2 Iob. 1. â—… Pet 5. Matth. 16. 2. Cor. 12. Iob. 13. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 3. Collos. 1. Marc. 8. 2 Reg. 6. Gen. 19. 4 Reg 6. 2. Tim 3. Luc 10. 2. Tim. â—… 2. Tim. 1. Rom. 3. Rom 8. Rom 4. Psalm 126 Rom. 11. Ezech. 16. Ezech. 16. Esai 1. 57. Gen 12. Iosu. 24. â—…sa 59. Act. 7. Rom. 5. Gal. 5. Rom. 3. Rom. 3. Rom 6. Gal. 3. Gen. 18. Rom. 7. Matth 7. Luc. 6. Iohn 15. Ephes. 1. 1 Cor. 2. Psalm 48 Psalme 31. 2. Cor. 2. Rom. 5. Ephes. 2. Rom. 7. Iacobi 1. Rom. 8. Rom. 7. Matth 12. Poueâ—…b 〈◊〉 Matth. 15. Ierem 17. Gen. 6. Gen. 8. Psalm 13. Pigghius de origin peccato Rom 5. 1. Iohn 3. Iob. 14. Psal. 50. Ruth 4. 1. Cor 7 â–ª Heb. 1â—… Iohn 3. Gen. 2. Rom. 5. Rom. 6. Iohn 8. Rom 8. Rom 8. Rom 5. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. 2. Tim 1. Gala. 3. Tit 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…phes 2. Gala. 5. Ad 〈◊〉 lib. quâ—…st 2 De â—…ide operibus cap 14 â—… Thâ—…ss 2 Rom 9. 〈◊〉 13. 1. Cor. 2. Augu in Psal. 6â—… Psaâ—…m 1â—… Iob. 〈◊〉 Iohn 17. â—…xod 9. Rom 9. Psalm 77. Iud epist. Psalm 15. Gen 3. Heb. 12. Exod. 19. Iob
¶ A SERMON preached at Paules Crosse on the Monday in Whitson weeke Anno Domini 1571. Entreating on this Sentence Sic Deus dilexit mundum vt daret vnigenitum filium suum vt omnis qui credit in euÌ„ non pereat sed habeat vitam aeternam So God loued the worlde that he gaue his only begotten sonne that al that beleue on him shoulde not perysh but haue eternall life Iohn 3. Preached and augmented by Iohn Bridges AT LONDON Printed by Henry Binneman for Humfrey Toy To the right honourable S r William Cecill Knight Baron of Burghley the Queenes Maiesties principall Secretorie and one of hir highnesse most honorable priuy Counsell AFter the last assembly of the high Court of Parlament was dissolued right honourable sir being earnestly requested to preach at Pauls crosse the Whitson monday folowing according as it pleased God to giue me at that time his spirite of vtteraunce and doth to al other that â—…peÌ„ their mouth in the truthe scare of him I intreated on this parcel of the Gospel red that day Sic Deus dilexit mundum c. Which Sermon finished and I readie to depart from the Citie home to Winchester I was importunately of diuers and those of diuers sorts of callings set vpon to haue the copie of my Sermon in all the haste to printing whose petition for a great while as â—…tatly I withstood as they did earnestly vrge the same and shooke off all such suters as diuers times in like cases I had done before to other â—…ommending their zeale but crauing pardon to dystrust their iudgement and deny their request in that behalfe I was chalenged that I should answer for this with him that buried hys talent in the napkin but I forced not of that chalenge nor of twentie reasons moe in so much that of some mée thought I had more mystiking for so stiffely denying than I had liking before for preaching but this I put vp also and rode my ways Neuerthelesse when this petition ceased not so but stil I was more and more sollicited with letters and credibly enformed how that of some it was called in question whether al things were true alleaged agaynst the aduersaries and howe of others it was defended and that diuers noters of it were inquired of their notes thereon and that an extraction of their notes and sentences was collected and so they would rawely set it out thâ—…se things although I did not altogether credite them but counted them as further driftes to make mée the willinger yet was I thereby I must néedes confesse cleane ouercome and had rather of the twain set it out my selfe than it shoulde haue come in any huxsters handling I knowe not what mooued them to driue me herevnto for God wote and al the world may sée there was nothing in it but that was euen Commune Sanctorum as they say such matter as euery one of them did knowe alreadie as well and better than I could tell them What of that since they will néedes haue it it is come forth as it is and if they like the playne truth they will beare with the homely vtterance Glory I sought none but Gods God he knoweth and they may easily sée by the stile so roughly hewen Yet some will thinke it more than to smacker of glory to set it out and I my selfe was of the same opinion but that I sawe some men sought glorie by not setting out their doings retaining better the estimatioÌ„ of things they haue done by suppressing them than those that lay them forth to euery mans descant on them And therfore seing that is an argument Pro Contra not reckening what men wil iudge theron for I knowe before hand if one will say wel another will say ill I haue yelded to mine importunate suters The causes that mooued mée was their too too earnest pressing but I am euen with them whome if I made eagre before to haue it I doubt me I shal wéery them now to reade it For where I had nothing then but certayne imperfect notes to directe my memorie nor coulde so well remember many things passyng betwéene to followe the tracke of my selfe woorde for woorde as I spake it I was contente to record it as I coulde and so to furnish my former notes with further prouision that I haue made nowe I dare not say for shame a Sermon but euen a volume thereon Neuerthelesse I was the better content to wink at mine owne ouer shooting my selfe bicause now it should not be I any more that shoulde speake it vnto them but themselues to them selues that should reade me shoulde speake it for me when they are wearie lay me aside a gods name and make foure Sermons if they please of one so may I perhaps not be irksome to them where had I so spoken in the pulpitas I haue written in the paper I shold haue ben a great deale more than tedious But sithe that is allowable in a Booke that is not sufferable in a Sermon it made me the bolder somwhat â–ª the more to amplifie Thinking verily that neyther Demosthenes nor Tullie spake altogether as they wrote at least not so largely for so they myghte haue tyred theyr hearers notwithstanding all theyr eloquence As for eloquence here is none neither I haue it nor my matter desires it Whiche though it be not set foorth in sublimibus humanae sapientiae verbis yet haue it truthe ioyned with simplicite it is inough Albeit I craue pardon to atempte to dedicate so meane a treatise to your Lordship but the reason that moued me herevnto was this Where once before the Quéenes Maiesties Court her highnesse béeing then in progresse at Titchefield in Hampshire an acquaintance of myne did preache somewhat aboute this argument of Iustification your honour then being present it pleased you so to accept the same that ye desired eftsoones to heare at Southe Hampton somwhat more theron which he to his abilitie as the streightnesse of the time permitted did performe Howe your Lordeship then liked thereof I will not say but good Lord what an inwarde ioy and comforte he conceyued at that your honours acceptation and many a thousande syth hath he priuily tolde me since howe he more estemed your iudgement than if all Cambridge hadde giuen that verdicte on him not that hée thought to open away to set forth him selfe thereby for that had bene to abuse your honours goodnesse nor that he was I dare say for him one whitte prouder thereof for he felt his owne infirmities but that he greatly reioyced to sée the eurtesie of so noble a hart so zealously affectioned to the preachers of Gods worde And as he stil commended this to me so with this zeale of your L. whose censure I alwayes drad before I was nowe so emboldened that I durste presume to clayme patronage of your honour to this my Pamphlet for Sermon will I not call it since it hath excéeded a Sermons boundes
all things therein conteyned Mundus peripsum factus est The world was made by him Of this signification he speketh not here For as God by his eternal purpose wold that the reprobate Angels shoulde euerlastingly peryshe and not haue Eternall Lyfe so the moste of other Creatures eyther dyuerse of them haue no lyfe at all or of those that haue lyfe theyr lyues returne to nothynge Secondely the worlde beetokenethe all Mankynde for whose sake all creatures were made euen for Iesus Christes sake all was made Angelles and all was made for Manne And therfore Manne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A lyttell Worlde whose heade is euen as it were a little Globe of the Worlde and conceauethe all worldely thynges And herevnto sayeth CHRISTE Euntes in Vniuersum mundum praedicate Euangelium omni creaturae c. Goyng your wayes into all the worlde preache the Gospell to euery creature meanynge Mankynde onely and not as Saincte Frauncis fondely imagyned to stones to Geese and Sparrowes but vnto menne And althoughe that all menne are conteyned in thys name Worlde yet by a a thyrde signification in the moste places especiallye of the Newe Testamente the Worlde sygnifyeth onely the wycked worldelings partely bycause throughoute the worlde they are the greatest and the most flourishyng parte of Mankynde and partely for that they are altogether worldely mynded reckenyng chiefly vppon thys Worlde seekyng for worldely rychesse glorye power and pleasures the whyche to obteyne they do serue and woorshyppe the Dyuell euen as theyr Prynce and God of thys Worlde and therefore are they called by the name of the world it selfe Of these wyeked ones sayeth Christe Non pro mundo oro I praye not for the worlde Mundus gaudebit c. The worlde shall reioice but you shal mourne The world hateth me The worlde loueth his owne c. Therefore sayeth Saincte Iohn Nolite diligere mundum Loue not you the world nor the things that are in the world c. But shall then the wicked worldelyngs that for these causes are called the world or all the world in generall and euery man not peryshe but haue eternall lyfe Howe then dothe Christe saye Lata porta spatiosa via est c. Broade is the gate and wyde is the waye that leadethe to perdition and many they are that enter thereby Narrow is the gate and straight is the way that leadeth to lyfe and fewe there bee that fynde it Yea none fyndeth it but whome the Father draweth to Christe in whome they were electe euen beefore the constitution of the worlde Wherof Sainct Paule hathe taughte the wholle degrees and order Quos elegit hos vocauit c. Whome hee hathe electe those hee called whome hee called those hee iustifyed whome hee iustified those hee glorified That is hee ordeyned them to haue eternall lyfe But howe then sayth our Sauioure Christe Hee soloued the Worlde Quos dilexit in finem dilexit eos Those whome hee loued euen vnto the ende hee loued them Heere nowe therefore the Worlde is to bee vnderstoode by a fourthe Signification euen for the elect of god To whom though this worde the Worlde seeme contrary yet for diuers considerations euen the Godly are called by it chiefly for three fyrst to put them in continual remembrance from whence they came Vos non estis sayth Christe to his chosen ex hoc mundo You are not of the worlde but withall he telleth that they were of the worlde sed ego elegi vos ex hoc mundo but I haue chosen yee oute of the worlde Haec fuistis sayth S. Paule sed abluti estis c. Suche ones ye were but ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified And notable is thys vpbrayding the name of the world to the childrē of God not onely to sturre them vp to a thankfull recordation to consider from whence they are deliuered but also if they forget thēselues and waxe proude to put them in remembrance what they were the which greatly abateth the pride of man And therfore Agathocles that of a Potter was made a Prince hong vp the potters whele in euery place and vsed no other than vessels of clay to put him in remembrance from whence he came So Kyng Philip of Macedone Alexanders father leaste hee should waxe proude of his victories gotten was euery mornyng saluted with this Uerse for his breakefast Remember Philip thou art but a mā And so God himself putteth thee in remembrance Quod puluis es in puluerē reuerteris That thou art but dust into dust thou shalt returne So God vpbraidyng to his people their proude forgetfulnesse sayth vnto them by his Prophete Ezechiel Son of man cause Hierusalem to know her abhomination and say thus sayth the Lorde vnto Hierusalem Thine habitation and thy kinrede is of the land of Canaan thy father was an Ammorite and thy mother was an Hethite And if wee lykewyse the people of Englande whom God hath more plentifully lightned with his truthe beautified with his graces and by diuers his bountifull giftes hath made vs nobler than many nations woulde consyder what an vnnoble what a rude sauage barbarous and brutishe people naked like Irishe men paynted like diuels fierce like Scythians vnknowne to the worlde like the newe Indians neyther knowynge ▪ God lyke Gentiles neyther knowing our selues like beastes wee were in tymes past as Chronicles write of vs and what ciuilitie plentie peace kuowledge and policie we bee now growne vnto it mighte make vs ashamed so to abuse these benefites and pul downe our pride in thinking what we be nowe to remember what before we were And euen so the elect of God are called the worlde to remēber what of them selues they were the children of wrath a lumpe of sinne a masse of damnation and at one word the world neyther were they the worlde onely so that now they are cleane deliuered out of the worlde nay rather they bee not onely in the worlde but in parte they beare the worlde aboute with them euen as they beare with them the flesh the first Adam the olde man the bodie of dethe the law of rebellion the vnperfections spots and wrinckles that our corupte nature is subiecte still vnto For although the worlde bee crucified to them and they to the worlde yet they haue not kylled the worlde Although they nede not feare the worlde for Christ hath sayd I haue ouercome the worlde Although the worlde haue hys Iudgement and be caste out alreadye yet so long as the fleshe resysteth the Spirite so long as the Churche is militante so long as the worlde lasteth euen so long wil Sathan tempte vs by the worlde and the worlde will hate vs and allure vs bycause wee bee still in the worlde Those Monks that said they died to the world and they were out of the worlde bicause they had caste off theyr former coates and tooke a coule bycause they
is they that of this interrogatiue Nō potest saluare te sine te can not God saue thee without thee do make an affirmatiue Non potest saluare te sine te God cannot saue thee withoute thee It is they that make Gods will to depende on mannes wyl It is they that will tye Gods wyll to causes in manne and yet to man will giue free will bynding Christ and letting Barrabas go free but as they see not the miserable bondage of mans wil which S. Paule saith helde him captiue vnder the lawe of sinne so they shewe howe muche lesse they see the will of GOD whiche the more he hathe reuealed to them and they see it not they shewe them selues to haue eyes and see not to bee euen blyn◅ed of God and repreb◅te and what so◅uer they prattle of Gods wyll to other that it stretchethe not to them For were they not wilfull blinde herein S. Augustines sober distinctions aboue rehersed ▪ on this worde Omnes All. myght haue suffised them by restraining all to all degrees and sorts of men not to euery particular man that is manifest sh◅l not be saued Neither deuised S. Augustine this distinetion of his own head as they do theirs but considering the circumstance of the place euen the text doth giue it ▪ For where as S. Paul had willed Prayers and supplications to be made for all men chiefly for Princes and those that are in authoritie that we might liue a quiet life ▪ in al godlinesse honestie vnder them to proue that no sort and degree of men is excluded from prayer he inferreth this reson For god wold al mē to be sau◅d what meaneth this illatiō here but as who shold say For there is no state or degree amōg men but is capable of the state of eternall life and therfore pray for al as this is a playn and true vnderstanding and no cauillation so the other of S. Augustine is also a true and easie exposition by conuersion of the sentence to inferre the meaning therof God would all should be saued that is none shuld be saued but whome God would should be saued and all that God wold should be saued shall be saued for his will shall not be hindered not that he would euery body to be saued Neyther is this so farre fet an interpretation but that our selues vse it commonly As if I would say All men go from England by shippe to Fraunce must this needes inferre that euery man goth by ship to Fraunce This schoole master teacheth all the Children in the towne must it nedes follow that euery childe in the towne is taught of him who will not renot restrayne this word All in this and all such other sayings to all sutch as go thether to all such as are taughte and not to all simply and to euery body These expositions then of Sainct Augustine or rather of the texte it selfe and of our common phrases beeing sufficient to any that is not disposed to wrangle bothe to confirme Gods elections and to proue no alteration in Gods wil yet if these wolde not satisfie them why shoulde they not rather admitte that distinction of Gods will whiche the auncient and godly learned Fathers vsed of Voluntas signi and Voluntas beneplaciti the will of the signe and the will of the acceptable pleasure of GOD then to deuise such a former and after will as maketh contrarietie infirmitie vnaduisednesse repentance and alteration in the nature and will of God and all to wreste Gods will to take awaye Gods election For although God wold so farre as the signe stretcheth that euen the reprobate shold be partakers of the worde and Sacramentes that are the sygnes of Gods Churche euen so well as his electe which is a great good will of God vnto thē And though he would they should receaue diuers graces therby yet followeth it not that euer God woulde that hereby they shoulde bee inheritours of hys gracious fauour and euerlasting glorie In this distinction is no variablenesse for God euer knew who were his what he woulde do how he wold do that he purposed to doe to whome he woulde and he would not do it howe farre it should take place in these and howe farre in those and as hee willed for euer so it was so it is so it shal be so it must be none can alter nor defeat his will whatsoeuer he wil His will be doone in earthe as it is in Heauen his wil be blessed for euer euer Amen Wel say the Papists how true soeuer this doctrine be it is a perillous doctrine to be taught vnto the people ye ought not to preache it and why so since it is truthe Truthe neuer shames his mayster Truthe wyll euer preuayle and what shoulde we teache in matters of saluation but the Truthe and all the truthe and nothyng but the truth Wold they haue vs teache lies like them or would they haue vs to conceale the truthe in so weighty a matter and so necessary to be throughly knowen as the causes of our saluation Why God the Father reuele it and his prophets endite it Why did Christ so openly and playnly preache it and his Euangelists and apostles put it in writing to be couered with a bushell or to be setin a candelstick doth God giue vs that that wil brede more hurt than good more peril than profit surely they blaspheme God that so saye eyther of this or any other doctrine in the scripture Omnis scriptura diuinitus inspirata It is written by the very finger of God the holy Ghost not only to enstruct vs but to confute them They say it will breede nothing in vs but desperation or presumption but they she we a greate desperate presumption in them selues thus impudentely to sclaunder the worde of God although were it not the veritie of God they were the more to bee borne withall bycause they measure it by their owne doctrine they that be in hel think there is no other heauen The Papists thynke this doctrine to breede presumption or desperation bycause theirs dothe so Doth not theirs bring a man euen to the pit brink of desperation that maketh a man alwayes mystrusting lest he shal be damned What an anguish and torment of mind is this As the Poets feigne how the Egle alwayes gnaweth Prometheus his hearte as Sisiphus is punished still to roll vp the restlesse stone that alwayes falleth downe the hill againe so that man can neuer quiet his mynde hanging euer betwene dispaire and hope Is not this the very porche of hell and yet they say we muste all our lyfe stande in this doubtfull perpleritie neyther can wee haue any assuraunce of the fauoure and loue of god And this is al their doctrines consolation Who would haue thought that the Papistes are so neare H◅ll and Desperation as this Doctrine bryngeth them vnto But no meruaile As they brewe so they muste drynke as their clothe will
doctrin I arâ—…uÌ„t also but that this doctrine is the directe 〈◊〉 hereof that is euen more than the deuels â—…tioÌ„ the Papists malicious sâ—…laÌ„der of this doctrin Was the fast of Christ the directe cause of the diuels temptation and yet here on the diuell picked his occasion of tempting christ There is nothing ordeined of God to so good purpose but the diuell will seeke occasion therby to worke some euil successe so farre as he can But let him tempt as hee did Christ let him sift as he did Peter let him buffet as he did Paule let hym stryke as he did Iob let him go roaryng lyke a Lion as he doth about vs all Christe shall driue him away Peters faith shall preuayle yea the gates of hell shall not preuaile againâ—…e it Gods vertue in Paule shall be stronger in infirmitie Iob shall neuer let go thys trustie saying Etiam si interfecerit me sperabo in euÌ„ Although he kill me yet will I truste in him And al we that haue this firme belefe of Gods election shall neuer bee confounded Spes non pudefacit What shall we say then to these things If God be on our syde who can be agaynst vs who spared not his sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not giue vs all things with him also Who shall laye any thyng to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifyeth who shall condemne It is Christe whiche is dead yea or rather whiche is risen agayn who is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguishe or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sworde as it is written For thy sake are we killed all daye long we are counted as shepe for the slaughter neuer the lesse in all these things we are more thaÌ„ conquerors through him that loued vs For I am persuaded that neither deathe nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor power nor things preseÌ„t nor things to com nor heighth nor depthe nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesu our Lorde And shall I now feare the sclander of a rayling Papist to driue me from this houlde and fortresse builte on the worke of Gods eternall election founded thus in Iesus Christ go now Papist and sclander this doctrine to be presumption to be the neglecte of all vertue to be the inticement to all vice and licentious lyuinge Thou lyest Papist it is but thy sclaunder it is but the Diuels temptation And euen as before in the temptation to dispaire so now euen for his temptation and thy sclaunders I ground my selfe the faster thereon I will spit on my fingers and take better holde on the mercifull election of God than I did before hurling awaye all brittle sticks and rotten posts of mans merits and leaue only to the myghtie bulwarkes and strong battlements of Gods eternall purpose of my saluation Neyther shall I fall downe headlong neyther tempte I God for trusting to his mercie for I know he that hath ordayned me to the ende of eternall lyfe hathe ordained also the meanes for me to go thether And as I thank hym hartly for the one so I will by his grace obey him humbly in the other looke what soeuer hee commaundeth me his grace I truste shall not be in vayne in me but make me able to doe all good workes to the glory of him that hath electe mee Haec est spes mea reposita in sinu meo Go go now sclandering Papist and say this is presumption But let the Papist go and let vs here set downe our firste standâ—…d againste the tempting Deuell against the wicked worlde against the tremblinge fleshe against the sclandering Papist and stay our selues on this first parte Hic murus aheneus esto Lette this be a brasen wall vnto vs that all theire gunshotte shall neuer batter downe the eternall purpose of almightie God before the foundations of the worlde were layde that the worlde not the wicked worldlings nor euery particuler maÌ„ in the world but the elect of god y he hath chosen out of the world shold not perish but haue eternall life The Seconde parte THe seconde parte that I deuided this treatise into is to consider the cause of this Gods goodnes towards the world a passing great benefite is this of God that he wold not suffer the world to perish that we ar traÌ„slated from death we shal not be damned but a farre more passing benefit is this that he hath translated vs from death to lyfe that we shal not only not perish by damnation but haue lyfe and that eternal To the which benefit no worldly blessings of god nor al the riches felicity of the whole world is coÌ„parable For what shold it profite me to win all the world and lose myne own soule or what shold I geue to redeme my soul withal From whence then proceded this surmounting goodnes of almightie God vnto the world was there no cause mouing him thervnto â–ª yes verily that a great cause Here the Papists chiefly the ScholemeÌ„ labor meruellously to serch out the cause that moued God to bestowe on the world this excellent benefite of eternal life wherin so it be done reuerently according to the maiestie of sutche a matter their trauell were not disalowable but wheÌ„ they presume to go beyoÌ„d their bounds to curiously no meruel if they be striken as was Vzias for his vnreuerent presumptioÌ„ to touch the arke of god WheÌ„ they go quite an other way wheÌ„ they seke the causes there where the causes be not when wil they finde the cause thereof but mistake the cause as the blind Sodomites coulde not finde Lots dore as the blynded Syrians were mis led to Samaria and euen like the blinded Hob runne vp and downe about the house catching at euery thing commeth next to hande crying this is it that is it wearying them selues neuer finding the cause in dede therof Semper discentes nuÌ„quaÌ„ auteÌ„ ad viaÌ„ veritatis peruenientes â–ª always learning but neuer attaining to the way of the truth bicause thei take NoÌ„ causas pro causis no causes for causes which is the gretest error in Philosophie that can be mutch more in this high mistery of diuinitie and the causes of Gods doings that passeth all mannes Philosophie The Philosophers say nothyng is thoroughly knowne whereof the causes are vnknowne and to know eche thing by the causes of it is the true and perfect knowlege Herin they said true but alas their selues neither knewe the thinges nor the causes of them they neyther knew them selues nor God we must not searche then the cause hereof by Philosophers and yet they did as muche as carnall men can do but Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Spiritus Dei the fleshly man perceyueth not
death hell sinne and sathan cancel the hande writing against vs triumphe ouer all our enemies transforme vs into a new man enter into heauen like a victorious conquerer in our behalfe and purchace for vs the hope of a better inheritance sende vs downe the holy ghost to comfort and strengthen vs in our iorney thether make vs haue bolde accesse vnto God the father and call him our father and clayme sonship of him No man no woman no angell no creature no earthly or heauenly bodely or spiritual thing could haue wrought these mighty works for vs but only the only begotten sonne of God. Nor any thing that we can cōceaue could so haue set forth the fathers loue in these doings as this that he vouchsafed to geue his only begotten sonne to do it What madnesse then hath bewitched the Papists mindes to seeke other mediatours than the sonne of God other satisfactions other gifts other reconciliations other means to saluation and pardon of their sinnes than that which God him selfe of sutche highe loue and fauoure hathe geuen vs as a most excellent and effectuall worker of all these things the only begotten sonne of God Is not this a greate vnthankefulnesse a foule beastlynesse a very follie or by what worthie name maye I cal their vnworthy demeanour to GOD to them selues to the sonne of God to the world to refuse so notable a loue and forsake so fre and riche a gifte to seke trifles and let go the principall to run to puddles of errour and goe from the flowing streame of grace and fountaine of life to cleaue to them selues and to renownce the sonne of god O brutishe Papistes and vnsensible or rather ledde too much by sensualitie O horse and Mule in whome there is no vnderstanding O Image makers howe lyke bee yee vnto your images Of whome sayeth Dauid they are lyke to them that made them hauyng eares to heare and heare not eyes to see and see not noses to smell and smell not For if ye hadde eyther hearyng seeyng smellyng or sauouryng of anye thyng petteynyng to GOD yee coulde not bee thus senselesse But this sheweth ye are but fleshe and blood whiche canne not reueale the sonne of the liuing god Good Lorde what is manne if hee be caste off of God and lefte to him selfe gyuen ouer to his owne lusts and a reprobate sense ▪ But the saying of Esaye is verified on them He hath blynded their eyes and hardened their heartes that they shoulde not see wyth theyr eyes nor vnderstande with their heartes and shoulde bee conuerted and I shoulde heale them For were it not that God had sent them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes and be damned whiche beleeued not the truthe but hadde pleasure in vnryghteousnesse they wold neuer so like swine haue trod vnderfote this most precious perle the sonne of God and delight to wallowe in the mire of mens traditions and durtie deedes of their owne righteousnesse as they doo and had rather like Grillus that was bewitched of Circes be still a swine and sosse in swil than returne to the forme of a manne and be with wise Vlisses had rather liue in Egypte with sclauish bondage and foode fit for sclaues onions leekes and garlike than liue in libertie trauailyng to the lande of promise and be fedde with angels foode Here is a notable gifte if we value it well all the riches in the worlde is but drosse vnto it How do the Papists value this excellent iewell Lette vs see yf they be good iewels yea or no or if they bee as wyse prysers of the valew hereof as Esops donghyll Cocke who fynding a precions stone hadde rather haue had a sillye barley corne to cramme his croppe than all the precious stones in the worlde And doo not the Papistes as fondly esteeme and worse handle this precious Iewell that GOD the Father hath gyuen vs His onely begotten sonne Howe doo they value Christe That traytour Iudas valued hym but at an easy price when hee solde hym for thirtie pence to the Priestes Thys was too mutche vnder foote in conscience for sutche a Iewell But theeues haue no conscience they wyll make Robyn Hoodes penywoorthes to dispatche and away wyth all that they can come by Well Iudas solde hym for thyrtie pence to the Priestes but the Priestes since that haue esteemed him at a greate deale lesser value than Iudas did They beare vs in hande that that little rounde white cake whyche the Priest at his Masse dothe consecrate as they call it is Christe hym selfe But ye shoulde haue hadde any morrowe Masse priest haue solde ye thyrtie Masses thyrtie consecrations for thirtie groates a whole Trentall for a royall and so the price of Christ was come downe to foure pence mutche vnder Iudas price But there was a reason of the fall of the price For why the makyng of Chryste was so easye and there were sutche a companie of those Christmakers and of those Christes Here is Christe and there is Christe that thys pulled downe the markette But yf that were Christe howe ordered they hym Forsoothe they ordered hym euen as they prysed hym that whiche they might haue of so easie a price a fourepenie matter was ordered euen thereafter Fyrste they turned Chryst out of his owne likenesse and made him looke lyke a reunde cake nothyng lyke to Iesus Christe no more than an apple is lyke an oyster nor so mutche for there appereth neyther armes nor handes feete nor legges backe nor belly heade nor body of Chryst but all is visoured and disguysed vnder the fourme of a wafer as lyghte as a feather as thinne as a paper as whyte as a kerchiefe as round as a trenchour as flat as a pancake as smal as a shilling as tender as the Priestes lemman that made it as muche taste as a stycke and as deade as a dore nayle to looke vppon O blessed GOD dare they thus disfigure our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ or can they make suche a strange Metamorphosis of the sonne of God They saye they doo thys But now what do thei with him hauīg thus trāsformed him Forsoth euen as the cat doth with the mouse play with it dandle it vp downe hoise it euer her head tosse it hither thyther then eate it cleane vp euen so for al the world did they order Christ. Mark a Priest at Masse and marke a Cat with a mouse tel me then what differēce Now if Christ were not eaten vp of the Priest did he so escape the Priests handes Nay euen as a mouse kept in a trap till she pine to death as a birde in a pitfal til she be st◅rued as a caytif in a dungeon til he be famished so was Christ thrust vp into a copper pixe and there hanged vp tyll euen the wormes did eate hym and scraule all ouer hym and the very hoarie moulde dydde rotte him and then was he
restraint of this word Al qui credunt that beleeue Wherein is both declared who shall be saued only the beleuers and also the meanes whereby they receiue their saluation that is belefe The nature of this word belefe compreheÌ„deth three things knowing acknowledging and trusting as when I say I beleue in God I inferre by this word beleue first that I thinke and know that God is Credere enim oportet accedentem ad Deum quia est He that commeth to God must beleue that God is Secondly I assente to this my thought and knowledge and with a firme persuasion acknowledge and professe him whome I so know and thinke to be Thirdly I trust vnto him and with an assured confidence reckeÌ„ vpon him Al which this word belefe doth coÌ„prehend For looke how much I want of any of these three points so much in dede I do not beleue And therfore the diuels that can not chose but take the first and al the wicked ones which take the first and the seconde bicause withall they take not the thirde although so farfoorth they haue a belefe yet fully rightly proprely they can not say they beleue For where as this worde GOD comprehendeth all power truth goodnesse grace and glory god maketh a promise to me of his grace goodnesse glorie I must not only staÌ„d on this point that he is power he is almighty he can perform it but I must go further and make my reckening that he is truthe also therfore wil not breake promise but vndoutedly will perfourme his good gracious promise of his glory to me which if I do not I make God a lier which is asmuch as to make god not god if I doo not beleue him to be a true God To beleue therfore in God requireth al these three things principally the more principal wherin I glorifie and honour him Vt iustificeris in sermonibus tuis I make him a iust and a true God in his sayings and promises and also benefit my selfe therby hauing as it were already in this poynte of my belefe that is my trust and confidence in the promiser who is faithful and wil not fayle me the thing that he promised me and I fully recken vpon and am assured for to haue it of him So sayth Saint Paule we haue heauen already Conuersatio nostra est â—…n coelis Our conuersation is in heauen Although wee bee not yet in it by faith wee haue it Propter spem quae reposita est vobis in coelis for the hope which is layd vp for vs in heauen and Christ in our fleshe hath taken possession of it for vs And therfore sayth S. Paule to the Hebrues Faith is a sure grounde or confidence a sounde and firme foundation consisting in the bottom Hypostasis a substance of things hoped for and an argument a certayn and infallible proofe an euidente euiction of things although they be not seene yet nothing doubtyng but with a full assured confidence that we shal see euen as we be sene and tast and enioy the fulnesse of Gods promise Thus much propreprely and fully importeth thys word belefe Nowe although to repose our selues on the veritie of Gods promises be belefe yet excepte thys thirde parcell concurre withall that is in eum in him that our beleefe reste and settle it selfe on the promises of God in him that is in Iesus Christ it is no true nor right belefe in god nor is capable of any the foresayd benefites For where as of al the promises of God this promise is the grounde and principall that was made in the beginning of the blessed seede for Adam Eue and al their ofspring to ground their faith vpon Ipse conteret caput 〈◊〉 He that shal come of the womans sede shal treade downe the serpentes head the power of Sathan And wher as God renuing the same promise to Abraham when he first chose him a peculiar people sayd to him In semine tuo benedicentur omnes nationes All nations shal be blessed in thy seede and where as all the ceremonies of the lawe were but shadowes and figures of him and the law it selfe but a schole maister to driue vs to him and Moyses by whom the law was giueÌ„ referred vs to an other prophet that is to wit to him that in fulnesse of time God performed this his promise and sent him into the worlde and sent vs only to him Hunc audite here him and al the fauor and graces of God all the forgiuenesse reconciliation and redemption of man cometh by him there is none other name whereby we may bee saued but in the name of him and all the Prophets beare witnesse vnto him Therfore the ground of this our knowledge and acknowledging of this our assent persuasion of this our assurance confidence that we haue in god is only wholly and altogether reposed grounded and asâ—…ied on him that in him for him and by him and only him we are elected predestinate and writen in the boke of life we receiue the loue and fauoure and all the gracious giftes of God we are deliuered from perdition and shall haue eternall lyfe And he that beleueth not in him the wrath of God abideth on him and is alredy iudged bicause he beleued not on the only son of God and euen this is his iudgement that light came into the world and the world loued darknesse more than light And here we see what is the means wherby the elect of God receyue this benefit belefe in him and why the wicked shall be damned not for theyr wickednesse so muche as for their infidelitie For wheÌ„ the holy ghost shal come saith Christ to confirme the godly he shal reproue the world of sinne Of sin euen for that it hath not beleued on me For if they had beleued on him all their sins had ben couered from the face of Gods iustice neyther had their sins but the righteousnesse of Christ ben imputed to them and then had they as Dauid saith ben blessed Beatus â—…ui dominus noÌ„ imputauit peccatuÌ„ And this is the reason that the godly shal staÌ„d vpright in iudgement and shine as the sunne not any godlinesse of their owne in them but bicause they beleued in him by which belefe they receyued Christe into them and so the righteousnesse of Christ doth shine in them bicause he is by faith in them they in him These then only receiue this benefit all they that beleue in him Here first are excluded and quite cut of al the heathen al the Turkes al the Iewes from this benefit that refuse to beleue in him Neither can it auaile the Turkes to alleage that they professe and beleue in one liuing and eternall GOD creatour of heauen and earth For he that wil beleue in this god must beleue in him in suche forme as he hath taught him how